


Dark Days

by Teaotter



Category: X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Female Characters, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-28
Updated: 2011-01-28
Packaged: 2017-10-15 04:25:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/157000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Teaotter/pseuds/Teaotter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bella was six the first time she broke into the attic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dark Days

Bella was six the first time she broke into the attic. The stairs leading from her father’s apartment were walled over, but the window under the roof peak was only locked. She almost lost her grip on the roof while she struggled with the lock, but ‘almost’ never stopped her.

Inside, the four-poster bed lounged in brocade draperies that billowed dust when she brushed through them. Fingernail gouges marred the headboard, overlapping scars carrying more dust. Bella found fragments of broken china in the crevices of the mattress, in six different patterns.

The hulking vanity was missing its mirror, but there were combs in its drawers still holding white-blond hairs the same color as Bella's. She touched them only with gloves, pulling them free and wrapping them carefully in oilcloth the witch had given her.

Everyone said Bella’s mother had gone mad. They brought in doctors; they brought in magicians. Nothing worked, they said. She died mad, somewhere in this room, shortly after Bella was born.

Bella didn't care. She wanted to talk to her mother, just the once.

She took more hair from the combs, and swept the broken teacup bits in with them. Maybe more than the once.


End file.
